Preserved Sandringhams
Currently, the Ansett converted Sandringham is on display at the Fantasy of Flight museum in Polk City, Florida, USA. The identity of this aircraft was RNZAF Sunderland NZ4108 before local conversion to passenger configuration for Airlines of New South Wales as VH-BRF Islander.
Ex-Ansett Sandringham (RAF Serial JM715 Short Sunderland Mk III) flew for Tasman Empire Airways Ltd. (TEAL) of New Zealand purchased JM715 from the Air Ministry for conversion. After conversion at Short's Belfast factory, the aircraft was allocated the conversion number SH.55C and registered to TEAL, delivered from Southampton to Waitemata Harbour, Auckland on 29 October 1947 and was soon in service on the 1,300-mile Sydney–Auckland route. In May 1950, ZK-AMH, was sold to Barrier Reef Airlines of Australia where it was renamed Beachcomber. Barrier Reef Airlines were subsequently taken over by the major Australian airline Ansett and became Ansett Flying Boat Services and operated out of Rose Bay, Sydney, Australia until 1974.
The vast amounts of money required to keep the aircraft in flying condition were not available and in 1981, the aircraft was purchased for the National Aeronautical Collection by the Science Museum and is now on display at Solent Sky museum in Southampton, Hampshire, UK.
The aircraft in the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace at Le Bourget Airport, Paris is not currently (2008) viewable by the public.
Read more about this topic: Short Sandringham
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